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Space Fleet Space-Log Episode 41
Episode 41 - "Wider Sprreadeder / Tendrils are Always Involved/Go First" Spacedate: 4257.109.08.28 Episode 41 finds the Delta Squad Marines floating in space amidst the ruins of the Laak 3 Observation Station, having proceeded from Boreas in the Marine Shuttle on a mission to reconnoiter for salvageable Ionic Dueterium. They had already mapped the area and marked one ID Deposit with a Transponder Beacon, but the wreckage was infested with Ultra-Borg Conduit Worms, and they seemed to be attracted to the signals! Now at the second ID Deposit the Marines had been ambushed by the monstrosities again, and these ones were bigger and nastier than those that they had so easily dispatched last time. Initiative started with Zorf on a Speed Factor Zero Psionic Action, taking advantage of the half move to start floating off further away from the Worms. Then he and Ray Squad Commanded, both of them making it this time for once, (was that a begrudging grunt of approval from Commander Domino heard over the radio?). But the Worms went simultaneous and Energy Blasted Zorf, hitting, while Sprout Defended and one went off of Ray's AC, ricocheted and hit Braxzz, sending him spinning off into space! After attacking, the worms retreated back into the conduits, leaving nothing to attack. While they waited for their foe's inevitable reappearance, the Marines past the time with Sprout activating some Psionics, then Ray Adrenalizing and Zorf Force-Skinning up as well, (Braxxz continued to spin). Then the Worms attacked again; Zorf got Energy-Blasted, (lost his Scarab and his Armor was damaged). Sprout Defended, and another attack went off Ray's AC again. Sprout charged in to engage in Mele, entering the Worm's Shock 10 Field, (protected by his Enviroveil Psionic), and Snap-Kicked, hitting with Ghost-Touch and starting a Combo. Zorf powered up his Rifle, and Sprout hit again with the second attack in his Combo. Ray hit the Worm in front of him with his Arc-Lightning Psionic, so it bounced to next one, narrowly avoiding hitting the blob of Ionic Deuterium on the way! This guy was hit as well, then it Arced back towards the first, but this time the wildly undulating globule was caught in the arc, blasting the blob into two pieces, each sent spinning! It still hit the first worm again, ans to avoid hitting the ID Deposit again Ray arced it off to the third guy hitting him as well, then bouncing it off of the 2 of them a couple of more times. Zorf was still floating off, but was not quite out of range yet so he was hit, and Sprout got clawed and couldn't Squad Command to Defend because he was attacking simultaneously, so Rose his Sap, to not take the Poison or ANL, but took to - to PR and some PD. The attack against Ray went off his AC again. Then Sprout hit with Jab, (with Squad Command), not Stunning it, but just blowing it's armor off, and Zorf blew his guy's armor off too. One of the worms Rail-Fielded at Zorf and hit, but didn't damage him too badly or get any Shock through. After a claw attack went off of Ray's AC by one, and Sprout just Defended by one, the Worms popped their heads back in to the debris, then popped back out and they all missed! Sprout Reverse-Punched & hit for a bit of damage, then went on a different tack and Quantum-Decelerated one, but right as it was retracting again, so it got stuck inside and did not come back out. The other two did, but they could not hit though. Zorf pumped up musket, Sprout Iron-Fortituded, (for him and Ray anyway, Zorf had floated out of range). Ray Guisarme killed his guy as Sprout wandered over, then Ray went over to the second guy and double hit him, killing him as well. Sprout, tired of chasing Ray around, turned to go back over when the slow guy eventually came back out, but Ray hit it first. Then Zorf opened up on it with an Ice Shard Musket Burst, but it was a super fuck-fest, and he totally missed, but then Squad Commanded to hit. Then he and Sprout went simultaneously, but the last Worm Defended, so Zorf then hit Sprout, who Defended with a Natural 20, (while attacking simultaneously, but he was also Defended), so it hit off Ray's AC and off out into space to end the Round. Next Round Zorf continued his Burst on a 1 and Ray continued his assault, starting a Flurry, Criticaling it and Killing it. Braxxz meanwhile had spiraled over into a large piece of debris over by another nearby I.D. deposit. Spacedate: 4257.109.08.31 Following Braxxz over to next deposit, the Squad moved in and Ray threw one of the Beacons into it. They were of course immediately ambushed by a couple of even bigger Ultra-Borg Conduit Worms! Ray was Surprise-Attacked, and was hit twice by a pair of even more powerful Rail-Field Effects, and gave two shits! Ray and Sprout cast Psionics on zero, as did Zorf w/ a Half-Move Translocate, then they heard Lt Hu-Ora saying to Admiral Bar-Ack that Ha she had won the bet that Zorf would stay at the maximum outside limit of his Range. Commander Petiole once again admonished her for leaving her mike on. Sprout ran in to melee, once again venturing into the Shock Field, now up to Shock 15 on these ones! He took Shock 4 that spilled over his PR, but made his Extra Save for no effect from Iron Fortitude. Sprout hit with his Jab, but on the Armor so no Stun. Zorf Force-Skinned, Ray got Critted and had no shits left to give! Zorf failed, Domino cursed, Petiole flew off the handle about everybody was going to have to take a mandatory seminar on the use of the Headsets and how to not leave the mikes on all the time and did a mike-drop and tendriled off in a huff. The Worms double railed Ray again, fumbling once, hitting once! Sprout got scared, and went for the double Stun-Lock, begged raised awareness for for Secondary Bennies, and missed when Defended. Ray also moved into the Shock 15 Zone, and also made his Extra Save for no effect from Iron Fortitude, (after reduced PR). Then Ray paired Fumbled, and Sprout got Energy-Blasted, but Defended. Zorf was still in overwatch mode 45 squares up, but got Rail-Fielded and hit any way. Sprout hit with the Chill-Touch Snap Kick to Start his Combo, then hit again, but the Worm attacked back, blowing his armor off and destroying his Enviroveil, (and personal RF), but made his Save vs Shock, and the double Shock Save for being in the Field when his PR went down. After that Zorf hit with his Ice Shard Psionic Musket, striking his target's hide, then the Worms all retracted back in! The Squad lined up the hexes the hoped the Worms would emerge from, but of course they popped back out in different locations. Ray hadn't moved though, so one was able to hit him with the Rail Field, but the other one couldn't hit Zorf as he kept moving while his opponent was hiding. Ray charged back in, (made his Shock Field Save from Iron Fortitude), and hit with his energy strike but missed with the physical, then started a Flurry and gave Sprout a Benny. Meanwhile, Zorf was still floating off 45 hexes away from the action, trading long range rounds with one of the Worms, his next shot hitting the other guy on his Hide because of simultaneous! It was the same for Ray, who hit with Guisarme, but got clawed back and his armor knocked down to 2. Sprout paired attacked, Fumbled once, Bennied, rolled shit again, missed both: became bitter. Shitty-Bitter. Then Ray Critted it for double Shitty-Bitterness by Sprout!. Ray blew its Temp DC off, then Critted twice while the Worm Fumbled its Defend. Then Zorf went while Sprout opted to not enjoy his Shitty Bitter Wait. Eventually Sprout tried to assault one Worm with his insidious Quantum Deceleration Psionic, but it made its Save. Then It clawed Ray, who made his Poison Save, and had just enough PR left to not take the Shock. The other one Hit Zorf with an Energy Blast, but then Ray and Zorf Crited it. Sprout Rose his Sap against a counter Crit, (and Saved successfully vs the Shock), but when the other Worm Energy-Blasted Ray it hit the undulating blob of Ionic Deuterium, splitting it into 2 separate dispersing some! Sprout Squad Commanded to hit, Ray hit twice, then Zorf aimed his rifle and fired, (and Squad Commanded to hit), with the start of his Burst. The next time the Borgs attacked Zorf got Energy-Blasted and Sprout Defended, barely. Sprout double Reverse Punched, hitting twice, while Zorf continued his Burst, but missed, and Ray Squad Commanded to hit twice, killing the first of the huge Enborgenated Worms, then Zorf Bennied a 4 to get a Crit on the other one to close out the Round. At the start of the next Round Sprout changed up his attack to the Ghost-Touch and moved over to the last Worm, (making his his two times Agility Check, to avoid the ID Deposit remains while darting between its remnants). Ray went around the long way then Bead-Lightninged for zero damage, but PD'd the creature at least. It Critted Sprout, Raising his last Sap, then Ray just missed by one. Sprout charged into the Shock 15 Field, made the Save and started his Snap-Kick Combo, Bennied after a terrible roll, rolled Shitty-Bitter & missed. Meanwhile, Zorf sniped with a 50 to Strike, striking soundly, and Sprout just missed, then super Defended. Sprout Reverse Punched, missed, Bennied again, then it Energy Blasted off Ray's Armor. Sprout knocked it ambiguously Prone, Zorf Downgrade Bennied, and still hit? Ray was hit and ANLd!, but hit with a Crit to kill it. One Combat Awarded Spacedate: 4257.109.08.33 It was at this point that Anya came on the line to report that the Space Fleet Threat Assessment Heuristic Intelligence Program had determined that the difficulty curve on the Encounter was getting too steep, and that the Squad was ordered to return to the Boreas for an Upgrade Rotation while the Blue-Shirts harvested the Deposits marked and cleared so far. After a thorough Medical Scan, (extra Intrusive to Ray since he got ANLed), the Marines were able to access 3 Free-Blocks, as well as the standard 2 more for sleep. Hoping to immediately take advantage of their new Psi-Core Security Clearances Squad Leader Ray contacted Commander Domino, asking for of course access to the Hypnotron. His Beguile Check was good enough to convince her to let them have 1 Hypnotron Training Block, although she seemed a little more dubious after Dr. Mordin stepped in with his Anti-Brain Damage Nanites and everybody started making Insanity Checks! Zorf failed his Insanity Check, but Bennied to succeed. Episode 41 Epilogue So will the Space Marines actually have a way to deal with a giant Shock-Proof, 35 DR dealing, Shock 20 Field emitting Conduit Worm with Borg-Related Minus to PR attacks and resistance to Empathic Psionics? Tune in next etc., etc. 30 Generic Points Back to Space-Log Category:Space Fleet